The Heartbreak of Raising a Black Daughter in a Red State

Shanita Hubbard describes the racist remarks her 8-year-old daughter has heard since their move to a small town in Pennsylvania. “[R]aising a brown girl in a red state means I’m not living in an ideal world. It means being vigilant against the psychological damage of having my daughter internalize the feelings of inferiority that can occur when her peers imply she is less than them. It means I always have to be ready with a response.

I have to do all of this while working to ensure that my daughter knows she’s not inferior to anyone . . . and that she never treats anyone differently based on anything other than character.” To read Hubbard’s complete essay, click here.